Zebon Copse Junior Play Area

This is for children aged between 3 and 12 years and has:

• a multiplay with a slide, easy to climb steps, a cargo net, a climbing wall, and fireman’s pole
• a roundabout that you pedal around
• an obstacle course with bouncy mushrooms
• toddler swings.

Zebon Copse Adventure Play Area

This is for children aged up to 14 years old and the equipment includes:

• a basket swing
• swings
• a long obstacle course with scramble nets, swinging ropes, balance beams, wobbly logs and log stumps
• rocks with climbing walls. 

There is also a sport wall with a football goal and basketball net

and a large field.

A Circular Walk Along the Basingstoke Canal

If you keep walking past the adventure play area, through the trees, you will come to a little hill

with views from the top (currently of a housing development construction site – so don’t expect tranquility) and a seat.

Continue walking over the hill and down the other side and you come to a little road. Turn right and the Basingstoke Canal is just a short walk away.

Turn right along the canal and keep walking until you come to the swing bridge.

Cross the bridge and you pick up the main path through Zebon Copse Nature Reserve.

Zebon Copse Nature Reserve

From here, you can either go straight back to the car park and play areas by following the main path into the nature reserve and taking the first right.

Alternatively, you can take the first left, which leads you over the nature reserve’s wild-feel boardwalk.

This stretch of boardwalk is a loop that explores the pond and mire

before finishing back on the main path between the bridge and the play area car park.

There are maps on boards along the way to guide your walk.

Nearest Town: Church Crookham, near Fleet
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU52 0ZE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a car park next to the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: June 2016
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Zebon Copse Play Area in Church Crookham, near Fleet, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Jurassic Park Play Area

The playground has equipment that includes:

• a huge slide accessed by a climbing wall inside a tube
• an obstacle course with a climbing wall, nets, a tyre and a basket
• a multiplay with a slide, easy to climb stairs and a Humpty Dumpty play board
• a toddler swing

• a basket swing
• a monster springer
• a roundabout (that was missing seats when we visited)
• a zip wire.

Next to the play area is a basketball court.

A Monster Tube Slide

The slide’s chute can only be reached by climbing up the inside of a vertical tube.

It’s basically a climbing wall inside a tube so is not suitable for younger children.

Finding The Play Area

To reach the play area from the Great Hollands car park, face the shops and take the path on the right through some trees (as in the photo). Keep walking for a couple of minutes and you will see the play area looming above you on the left.

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 8UX

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: A nearby shop with drinks, ice creams, snacks.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: The best car park we could find was at Great Hollands Community Centre (RG12 8UX), which has a large car park and some shops where you can buy refreshments.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Jurassic Park Play Area in Bracknell is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Royal Victoria CP Adventure Play Area

The play equipment is for children to the age of 14 years old and includes:

• a large wooden fort with slides, tunnels, nets, a wobbly bridge and easy to climb ramps
• swings
• toddler swings
• a chair swing
• a basket swing

• a climbing wall (but there were no hand or foot holds when we visited)
• a roundabout
• zip wires (but they were not there when we visited)
• flower ‘telephones’

• a sensory garden
• a jeep
• a musical wall
• a small multiplay with a slide.

The Beach

Royal Victoria Country Park overlooks Southampton Water and has a shingle beach and seafront walks.

There is also a story trail called “Time Trouble at Royal Victoria Country Park”, and a permanent orienteering course

a miniature railway and a fairy garden.

The Cedar Rooms

Next to the play area is the Cedar Rooms, a restaurant and cafe with a large outdoor seating area. We had a delicious, wood fired pizza.

Nearest Town: Netley, near Southampton
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO31 5GA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are several, good sized, pay and display car parks around the park.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour to a maximum of £4 per day

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, ducks, seagulls, waterbirds and sea creatures.

Information Written: May 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Royal Victoria Country Park Play Area in Netley, near Southampton, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Snaprails Park 

Scattered across Snaprails park are fields

a pond

streams

woods

and towering Wellingtonia trees.

There is also a willow tunnel, cycle-way

and picnic area.

The Paths

The paths are well surfaced and buggy friendly. 

Snaprails Park Play Area

The play area has equipment designed for children aged between 2 and 14 years that includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• accesible swings
• a basket swing
• a small multiplay with a slide
• a roundabout

• springers
• a larger multiplay with a small climbing wall, rope bridge and small zip wire
• a seesaw 
• a small obstacle course
• seats.

Nearest Town: Sandhurst, near Crowthorne
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: GU47 9AW or GU47 9RQ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Not the easiest but you can try to find somewhere to park on the nearby roads or in the little lay-by at the end of Evenlode Way (GU47 9RQ).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, birds and butterflies.

Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Snaprails Park and Play Area in Sandhurst, near Crowthorne, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Locks Ride Play Area

Much of the play equipment is built over sand and includes:

• climbing nets to scramble over and under
• a spider’s web net
• a rope bridge
• a balance beam
• a slide set into a hill
• a basket swing

• a sand pit
• swings
• a toddler swing
• an accessible swing
• a trampoline
• a double zip wire.

Locks Ride Beach Area

The beach area has picnic tables and barbecues that must be pre-booked. 

Beside the play area is a multi-gym, two football pitches,

a cricket pitch and a pavilion.

Locks Ride Splash Pad

The Locks Ride Splash Pad is open from mid-May to mid-September. It’s lots of fun, especially on a hot day but can be very busy.

This has jets of water set into the floor and also overhead buckets, which gradually fill with water and then suddenly spill down onto the people below. 

Nearest Town: Winkfield Row, Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG42 7NJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, picnic area, barbecues.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park and they can open additional spaces for busy times.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: October 2016
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Locks Ride Recreation Ground Play Area in Winkfield, Bracknell, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Runnymede Pleasure Grounds Play Area

The play area equipment includes:

• swings 
• toddler swings
• a climbing multiplay for older children
• a multiplay for younger children 

• a roundabout
• a springer seesaw
• a traditional seesaw
• seats.

Runnymede Pleasure Grounds Splash Pad

This paddling pool is for children of up to 11 years. 

Boat Trips 

Various boat trips are available up and down the River Thames.

The Runnymede Memorials

The water-meadows of Runnymede are where King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215. 

There are a number of interesting memorials to discover in the meadows and woodland.

Nearest Town: Old Windsor, Egham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: TW20 0AE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic area, toilets, accessible toilets, cafe, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Runnymede Pleasure Grounds is buggy friendly but the walk to the Runnymede Memorials is trickier and takes you over grass and uneven paths.

Parking: There is a large car park. There is another National Trust car park at the other end of the meadows.
Cost of Parking: Pay and display. The National Trust car park is free for members.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese and butterflies.

Information Written: May 2021
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Runnymede Pleasure Grounds in Egham, near Windsor, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Jocks Lane Recreation Ground Play Area

Jocks Lane Play Area has a range of equipment including:

• toddler swings
• swings
• a place for a tyre swing (but no tyre when we visited)
• a swinging seesaw
• a multiplay for younger children with a tunnel and a slide

• game boards
• musical pipes
• a fire engine with little tunnels
• a roundabout.

Equipment for Older Children

There is also equipment for older children:

• a climbing frame obstacle course
• a spinner
• swings that spin
• a zip wire.

Jocks Lane Splash Pad

We spent most of our visit playing with the water jets in the Jocks Lane Splash Pad, which is surrounded by benches, sun umbrellas and a cafe giving it that holiday feeling. Further details can be found in the Jocks Lane Recreation Ground post.

The Recreation Facilities

Jocks Lane Recreation Ground also has numerous other things to do, including tennis courts,

mini golf

and a miniature railway, which operates on certain days of the year.

Nearest Town: Bracknell
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: RG12 2BH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2017
Information Checked: July 2025

Our visit to Jocks Lane Recreation Ground Play Area in Bracknell is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Sands Play Area

The play equipment is said to be suitable for children to the age of 14 years old and includes:

• a hedgehog springer
• a frog springer 
• a seesaw
• swings
• toddler swings

• a spinner
• a roundabout
• a multiplay with a double slide with a wooden ladder, a fireman’s pole and a climbing wall
• a wooden obstacle course 
• seats for adults.

Next to the play area is a big playing field with football goals and a basketball net.

Finding the Play Area

There is a small path to the play area next to The Sands Room (GU10 1LL).  

Nearest Town: The Sands, near Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 1LL

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: You can park on the road by The Sands Room, which is signposted and next to the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: June 2025

Our visit to The Sands Recreation Ground and Play Area in The Sands, near Farnham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Boundstone Recreation Ground

The play equipment is for children to the age of 14 and includes:

• a multiplay with a slide and a fireman’s pole
• toddler swings
• swings 
• a zip wire
• a basket swing
• a seat roundabout
• a seesaw.

Nearest Town: Rowledge, near Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4RN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: You can park on the road next to the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: June 2025

Our visit to Boundstone Recreation Ground and Play Area in Rowledge, near Farnham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Rowledge Recreation Ground and Play Area

The play equipment is said to be suitable for children to the age of 13 years old and includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a basket swing
• a multiplay with a slide, wobbly bridge and easy to climb steps
• a climbing frame
• a springer
• a roundabout
• a trampoline
• seats.

There is also a table tennis table

and a sports field. 

Nearest Town: Rowledge, near Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4BW

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, eat at the local pub or grab something at the local shop.
Facilities: Picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: June 2025

Our visit to Rowledge Recreation Ground and Play Area in Rowledge, near Farnham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Trails

Various trails criss-cross Alice Holt Forest. Some are easy access, others are wilder.  Some are flat, others have steep hills. They are all marked and there are free maps available.

Story Book Trails

Alice Holt Forest is one of the venues that hosts story book activity trails based on the books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

Trails have included The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Highway Rat and Zog.  At the time of writing, there is a Superworm Trail.  

You buy a map bursting with activities to try along the trail – drawings to colour, puzzles to ponder and woodland things to spot.  

Along the way you also come face to face with characters from the stories, including the Gruffalo, Stick Man and the Gruffalo’s child.

The Timberline Play Trail

The 1km long Habitat Trail leads you past both adventure play areas 

and also hides huge play sculptures.

The Adventure Play Areas

Alice Holt has two adventure play areas.

Playwood Adventure Play Area is next to the cafe and has large wooden climbing frames, slides and swings.

Timberline Adventure Play Area is a five minute walk from Playwood and is a huge, circular obstacle course with wooden climbing frames, slides, bridges and nets. 

Other Activities

Alice Holt also has an Activity Centre and Shop that offers cycle hire 

table tennis 

volleyball 

and badminton.

There is also orienteering 

Go Ape 

and lots of picnic spots to try.

The Cafe 

This is located next to the main entrance and Visitor Centre.  You can its picnic tables to eat food you have bought there or brought from home. 

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4LS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, hire a barbecue or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, barbecue hire, cafe, ice creams, drinks, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Various, starting from £3 for one hour. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds, insects and the odd story book character.

Information Written: March 2016
Information Checked: February 2025

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and the Alice Holt Adventure Play Areas in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Playwood Adventure Play Area

Playwood is next to the cafe and has play equipment that includes:

• a large wooden climbing frame with a slide, tunnels, towers with easy to climb stairs, nets, a fireman’s pole and ladders 
• a smaller wooden climbing frame for younger children with a slide, a bridge, a fireman’s pole and easy to climb stairs
• a wooden hut with a rope
• a wooden shipwreck climbing frame 
• swings 
• toddler swings 
• a basket swing 
• an accessible roundabout
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

Timberline Adventure Play Area

Timberline Adventure Play Area is a five minute walk from Playwood and is a huge, circular obstacle course with slides, ropes and climbing frames.

Alice Holt Forest

Alice Holt Forest is full of things to do – play trails, cycle tracks, table tennis, orienteering, adventure play areas and even story book characters like the Gruffalo…

Story Book Trails

Alice Holt is also one of the venues that hosts story book activity trails based on the books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

Trails have included The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Highway Rat and Zog. At the time of writing, there is a Superworm Trail.    

The Timberline Play Trail

The 1km long Habitat Trail leads you past both adventure play areas and hides huge play sculptures.

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4LS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, hire a barbecue or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, barbecue hire, cafe, ice creams, drinks, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Various, starting from £3 for one hour. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds, insects and the odd story book character.

Information Written: November 2022
Information Checked: February 2025

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and Playwood Adventure Play Area in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Timberline Adventure Play Area

The play equipment includes:

• wooden climbing frames
• two slides
• a fireman’s pole 
• nets  
• ropes 
• wobbly bridges 
• climbing walls 
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

Playwood Adventure Play Area

Playwood Adventure Play Area is the second of Alice Holt’s play areas and is next to the cafe. It is about a five minute walk from Timberline Play Area.

It has play equipment that includes:

• a large wooden climbing frame with a slide, tunnels, towers with easy to climb stairs, nets, a fireman’s pole and ladders 
• a smaller wooden climbing frame for younger children with a slide, a bridge, a fireman’s pole and easy to climb stairs
• a wooden hut with a rope
• swings 
• toddler swings 
• a basket swing 
• an accessible roundabout
• picnic tables
• seats to sit on.

Alice Holt Forest

Alice Holt Forest is full of things to do – play trails, cycle tracks, table tennis, orienteering, adventure play areas and even story book characters like the Gruffalo…

Story Book Trails

Alice Holt Forest is one of the venues that hosts story book activity trails based on the books of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

Trails have included The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Highway Rat and Zog. At the time of writing, there is a Superworm Trail.    

The Timberline Play Trail

The 1km long Play Trail leads you past both adventure play areas and hides huge play sculptures.

Nearest Town: Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 4LS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, hire a barbecue or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, barbecue hire, cafe, ice creams, drinks, snacks, toilets, accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a large car park.
Cost of Parking: Various, starting from £3 for one hour. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds, insects and the odd story book character.

Information Written: November 2022
Information Checked: February 2025

Our visit to Alice Holt Forest and Timberline Adventure Play Area in Farnham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Thor’s Den Play Area

The equipment includes:

• toddler swings (with short ropes)
• a very small slide for young children with musical chimes and cogs
• a larger slide and multiplay with bridges and an abacus
• two deer springers
• a seesaw

• a basket swing
• a roundabout
• a zip wire
• a picnic table
• seats for adults.

Note that the larger slide is best suited to older children – it does not have easy to climb stairs and has a high, wobbly bridge.

Thursley Common

Thursley Common is a breathtaking National Nature Reserve with a wonderful, fresh atmosphere and a range of habitats, including areas of peat bogs

and ponds.

It has carnivorous plants

boardwalks

and dragons (lizards or dragonflies – take your pick!)

Nearest Town: Thursley, near Milford and Hindhead
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU8 6QD

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: October 2024

Our visit to Thor’s Den or Thursley Play Area in Thursley, near Milford and Hindhead, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Hollowdene Recreation Ground

The play equipment is for use by children under the age of 14 years and includes:

• swings
• toddler swings 
• a pirate boat
• a seesaw 
• a roundabout
• a multiplay with a bridge, bars and a slide with a ladder
• a second slide with easy to climb stairs

• a balance course 
• two springers
• a hopscotch board 
• a covered seating area
• an outdoor multi-gym
• a picnic table 
• a table tennis table 
• seats.

Next to the play area is a very large sports field with a football pitch and a cricket pitch. 

There is also a shop where you can buy snacks and ice cream and the very child and dog friendly Holly Bush. 

A Walk to a Stream

If you walk down past the playing fields you come to a footpath through the trees. 

This leads to a bridge over a little stream and some fields where we spotted some ducks and rabbits.

Nearest Town: Frensham, near Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 3BJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: There is village shop next to the play area, a pub nearby where you can buy food.  You can also bring a picnic.
Facilities: A shop, pub and a picnic area.

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Animals You Might See: Ducks, insects and rabbits.

Information Written: February 2020
Information Checked: June 2024

Our visit to Hollowdene Recreation Ground and Play Area in Frensham, near Farnham, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Basingstoke Canal Centre Play Area

Next to the Canal Centre is a small wooden play area with:

• toddler swings
• a springer
• a balance course with nets, tightropes, log stumps, a climbing wall, balance beams, and rope swings.

The Frimley Lodge Park Play Areas

From the Basingstoke Canal Centre you can walk for about 20 minutes to the well-equipped Frimley Lodge Park, which has another two play areas.

Nearest Town: Mytchett, near Farnborough
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU16 6DD

Opens: The canal is open daily but the Canal Centre has seasonal opening hours. Please see their website for details. 

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe.
Facilities: Picnic area, cafe, snacks, ice creams, and toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: About 2 hours.
Buggies: I use an all terrain buggy as the tow path is generally even but has quite a few stones on it, which can be bumpy with a normal buggy.

Parking: There are two car parks, one just through the entry barrier and another tucked away past the Canal Centre. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, Canada Geese, coots, moorhens, birds, butterflies and insects.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: June 2024

Our visit to Basingstoke Canal Centre and Play Area in Mytchett is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Lakeside Nature Reserve Play Area

The play equipment includes: 

• basket swing
• a climbing wall 
• rocks to climb on
• a zip wire 
• a spinning seesaw
• a large spinning seesaw (which was fenced off)
• a spinning disc 
• picnic tables.

Nearest Town: Ash Vale, near Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU12 5AA

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic tables

How Long We Spent There: 2.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a car park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, tadpoles, frogs, birds and insects.

Information Written: June 2021
Information Checked: June 2024

Our visit to Lakeside Nature Reserve Adventure Play Area in Ash Vale is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Nearest Town: Tongham, near Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU10 1AQ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 5 minutes
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is no car park but you could try to park on the road next to the play area. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Butterflies, other insects and birds.

Information Written: February 2017
Information Checked: June 2024

Our visit to Tongham Moors Play Area in Ash, near Aldershot, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Ivy Road Recreation Ground and Play Area

The play equipment is better suited to older children as it could be hard for younger children to use independently.

The equipment includes:

• a basket swing
• a spinner that you dangle under
• a climbing frame with nets and nests of baskets.

Next to the play area is a basketball court, football pitch 

and a field.

The Blackwater River

The River Blackwater flows along the edge of the field, followed by Section 2 of the Blackwater Valley Path, which is surfaced so you can ride, scooter and walk along it. 

To find the Blackwater River, follow the path across the field to the tree line where there is a little bridge. 

Rowan Field

If you cross the bridge and a walk a short distance in either direction along the Blackwater Valley Path, you come to the entrance to Rowan Field.  

This is a nature reserve split in half by the A331.   

Finding Ivy Road Play Area

To find the play area using GU12 4XG, drive past the waste recycling centre and turn left next to the sign for Belle Vue Enterprise Centre.

Nearest Town: North Town, Aldershot
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU12 4XG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: Picnic table.

How Long We Spent There: 30 minutes
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a small car park next to the playground. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, birds, ducks and Canada geese.

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: May 2024

Our visit to Ivy Road Recreation Ground and Play Area in North Town, Aldershot is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Shawfield Recreation Ground

The play equipment includes:

• swings
• toddler swings
• a multiplay with a double slide, climbing ladders and a bridge 
• another multiplay with a slide, ladders and nets.

Neither of the multiplays have easy to climb steps so smaller children may struggle to use the slides independently.

There is also a field with a kick wall and a basketball hoop.

Parking

There is a small car park next to the basketball hoop. To find it, look for a gap in the road-side fence and a red and white barrier.

Nearest Town: Ash, near Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU12 6RB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a small car park. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: March 2017
Information Checked: May 2024

Our visit to Shawfield Recreation Ground and Play Area in Ash, near Aldershot, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.